On a weekday, I wake up and walk the dog while listening to a Dhamma talk on the I-Pod, then sit for either 20 or 30 minutes. I will meditate for another 20 or 30 minutes in the evening when I feel up to it, which is realistically only about half the time.

On Saturdays and Sundays I tend to have longer sittings of 45 or 60 minutes, sometimes two or three times per day.

So in an average week I'm putting in anywhere from 5 to 10 hours of meditation. Wow, that's not that much now that I add it up.

Anyway, what is your personal meditation routine?

"To reach beyond fear and danger we must sharpen and widen our vision. We have to pierce through the deceptions that lull us into a comfortable complacency, to take a straight look down into the depths of our existence, without turning away uneasily or running after distractions." -- Bhikkhu Bodhi

"No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man." -- Heraclitus

An hour formally every morning split into a half hour of walking and then a half hour of sitting. I will then sit again for half an hour in the evening. So i guess that comes out to arround 10 or 11 hours of formal meditation a week.

Last edited by bodom on Mon Feb 09, 2009 5:05 pm, edited 2 times in total.

To study is to know the texts,To practice is to know your defilements,To attain the goal is to know and let go.

- Ajahn Lee Dhammadharo

With mindfulness immersed in the bodywell established, restrainedwith regard to the six media of contact,always centered, the monkcan know Unbinding for himself.

Answer: No, sitting for hours on end is not necessary. Some people think that the longer you can sit, the wiser you must be. I have seen chickens sit on their nests for days on end! Wisdom comes from being mindful in all postures. Your practice should begin as you awaken in the morning. It should continue until you fall asleep. Don't be concerned about how long you can sit. What is important is only that you keep watchful whether you are working or sitting or going to the bathroom. Each person has his own natural pace. Some of you will die at age fifty, some at age sixty-five, and some at age ninety. So, too, your practice will not be all identical. Don't think or worry about this. Try to be mindful and let things take their natural course. Then your mind will become quieter and quieter in any surroundings. It will become still like a clear forest pool. Then all kinds of wonderful and rare animals will come to drink at the pool. You will see clearly the nature of all things (sankharas) in the world. You will see many wonderful and strange things come and go. But you will be still. Problems will arise and you will see through them immediately. This is the happiness of the Buddha.

To study is to know the texts,To practice is to know your defilements,To attain the goal is to know and let go.

- Ajahn Lee Dhammadharo

With mindfulness immersed in the bodywell established, restrainedwith regard to the six media of contact,always centered, the monkcan know Unbinding for himself.

I used to have a schedule that allowed me to maintain a steady commitment of an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening. I did that pretty regularly (ever day) for a year or so. Then life intruded. You know, job, kid, business, the whole nine yards.

I didn't develop to the stage where I could reduce the hours of sleep to accommodate meditation time. Plus, I have to admit, sometimes I'm still afflicted with laziness. Lately there have been days when I don't formally sit at all, which is pretty shocking for me, because in my mind I'm seriously committed to practice.

In the approach that works best for me (Goenka), it's recommended to meditate for an hour in the morning, and hour in the evening, plus a short period before getting out of bed and before going to sleep, plus whenever you've got some extra time. When I found that I was unable to maintain this, I began asking an assistant teacher about it. In fact, I asked more than one, because I struggled with the issue for some time.

A got a couple of answers that I find useful. One assistant teacher encouraged me to meet these life circumstances with equanimity, recognizing that things are always changing. Another said that even a shorter period of meditation time can be effective.

One AT told me that the recommended length of time is intended to ensure that there are at least some moments of good concentration in there. He said that even just a few minutes of good concentration can suffice. (Not that that's an excuse to sit for shorter periods, of course.)

I have found that short periods of meditation can be very effective, but when I keep up a regular regimen of longer periods, it's much more beneficial. The balance, of course, is still finding time to fullfill my responsibilities to my family, employer, my clients, my friends, and myself. I can't just drop out (nor would I want to at this stage).

The question posed in this thread, "How many hours a week do you meditate?" strikes me in a very personal way, like a wake-up call. Thanks for asking.

Metta

Rain soddens what is kept wrapped up,But never soddens what is open;Uncover, then, what is concealed,Lest it be soddened by the rain.

Answer: No, sitting for hours on end is not necessary. Some people think that the longer you can sit, the wiser you must be. I have seen chickens sit on their nests for days on end! Wisdom comes from being mindful in all postures. Your practice should begin as you awaken in the morning. It should continue until you fall asleep. Don't be concerned about how long you can sit. What is important is only that you keep watchful whether you are working or sitting or going to the bathroom. Each person has his own natural pace. Some of you will die at age fifty, some at age sixty-five, and some at age ninety. So, too, your practice will not be all identical. Don't think or worry about this. Try to be mindful and let things take their natural course. Then your mind will become quieter and quieter in any surroundings. It will become still like a clear forest pool. Then all kinds of wonderful and rare animals will come to drink at the pool. You will see clearly the nature of all things (sankharas) in the world. You will see many wonderful and strange things come and go. But you will be still. Problems will arise and you will see through them immediately. This is the happiness of the Buddha.

"Beautifully taught is the Lord's Dhamma, immediately apparent, timeless, of the nature of a personal invitation, progressive, to be attained by the wise, each for himself." Anguttara Nikaya V.332

Answer: No, sitting for hours on end is not necessary. Some people think that the longer you can sit, the wiser you must be. I have seen chickens sit on their nests for days on end! Wisdom comes from being mindful in all postures. Your practice should begin as you awaken in the morning. It should continue until you fall asleep. Don't be concerned about how long you can sit. What is important is only that you keep watchful whether you are working or sitting or going to the bathroom. Each person has his own natural pace. Some of you will die at age fifty, some at age sixty-five, and some at age ninety. So, too, your practice will not be all identical. Don't think or worry about this. Try to be mindful and let things take their natural course. Then your mind will become quieter and quieter in any surroundings. It will become still like a clear forest pool. Then all kinds of wonderful and rare animals will come to drink at the pool. You will see clearly the nature of all things (sankharas) in the world. You will see many wonderful and strange things come and go. But you will be still. Problems will arise and you will see through them immediately. This is the happiness of the Buddha.

Ajahn Chah

To study is to know the texts,To practice is to know your defilements,To attain the goal is to know and let go.

- Ajahn Lee Dhammadharo

With mindfulness immersed in the bodywell established, restrainedwith regard to the six media of contact,always centered, the monkcan know Unbinding for himself.

I think there's a lot of wisdom in that quote from Ajahn Chah, but there's also some risk that people might take that as an excuse to exert minimal effort when it comes to formal sitting meditation. It's like physical exercise: You might think you're getting enough exercise by walking around the house while you vacuum and by walking out to get the mail, but it's better if you can set aside some time for formal physical exercise for your physical health.

There's no question that we can bring mindfulness to all activities in all postures, but I think we build up the ability to do that through formal sitting practice. You can't substitute one of the other. You need both.

Just my 2 cents ...

Rain soddens what is kept wrapped up,But never soddens what is open;Uncover, then, what is concealed,Lest it be soddened by the rain.

Jechbi wrote:I think there's a lot of wisdom in that quote from Ajahn Chah, but there's also some risk that people might take that as an excuse to exert minimal effort when it comes to formal sitting meditation. It's like physical exercise: You might think you're getting enough exercise by walking around the house while you vacuum and by walking out to get the mail, but it's better if you can set aside some time for formal physical exercise for your physical health.

There's no question that we can bring mindfulness to all activities in all postures, but I think we build up the ability to do that through formal sitting practice. You can't substitute one of the other. You need both.

Just my 2 cents ...

Anyone who has ever read Ajahn Chah's teachings knows that there is no room for laziness in the practice of his teachings. Ajahn Chah was stating the importance of meditation off the cushion. If there is no meditation off the cushion there will be no meditation on the cushion. He did not say formal meditation is not important or that we can substitute one for the other. Far from it. For lay householders the majority of our time is spent off the cushion. We spend an hour or two a day in formal meditation if we are lucky enough to get that much time. Do the math. The practice off the cushion is just as important if not more important than sitting in meditation. We cannot spend all day sitting in samadhi with children to raise and bills to pay. While it is true that formal meditation is extremely important in developing mindfulness we also need to be aware of the limitations that are imposed on our practice by living the household life. The four foundations of mindfulness are not only to be cultivated on the cushion. As you said there must be both. I would certainly hope no one takes this advice to mean it ok to be lazy. I know i certainly did not.

To study is to know the texts,To practice is to know your defilements,To attain the goal is to know and let go.

- Ajahn Lee Dhammadharo

With mindfulness immersed in the bodywell established, restrainedwith regard to the six media of contact,always centered, the monkcan know Unbinding for himself.

As one who sits regularly I am familiar with the tendency to be a bit self satisfied when my sitting practice is going well and Ive been on retreat allot. There is a tendency to allow myself to slide a bit. Not in terms of sila but in terms of watching and discerning my mental states(inward sila you might say). This is what I think Achaan Cha is guarding against. I think he is pointing out our tendency to let how much or how little we meditate undermine our effort to practice in all positions.

Metta

Gabriel

"Beautifully taught is the Lord's Dhamma, immediately apparent, timeless, of the nature of a personal invitation, progressive, to be attained by the wise, each for himself." Anguttara Nikaya V.332

So therefore, all of you, be sure to practice every day. Whether lazy or diligent, practice just the same. Practice of the Dhamma is not done by following your moods. If you practice following your moods then it's not Dhamma. Don't discriminate between day and night, whether the mind is peaceful or not... just practice. - Ajahn Chah

When we are lazy we should practice and not only when we feel energetic or in the mood. This is practicing according to the Buddha’s teaching. According to our own, we practice only when we’re feeling good. How are we going to get anywhere like that? When are we going to cut the stream of defilements when we practice only according to our whims like that? - Ajahn Chah

These words should counter balance anyone who might have mistakenly assumed Ajahn Chah was implying laziness or minimal effort.

To study is to know the texts,To practice is to know your defilements,To attain the goal is to know and let go.

- Ajahn Lee Dhammadharo

With mindfulness immersed in the bodywell established, restrainedwith regard to the six media of contact,always centered, the monkcan know Unbinding for himself.

On a weekday, I wake up and walk the dog while listening to a Dhamma talk on the I-Pod, then sit for either 20 or 30 minutes. I will meditate for another 20 or 30 minutes in the evening when I feel up to it, which is realistically only about half the time.

On Saturdays and Sundays I tend to have longer sittings of 45 or 60 minutes, sometimes two or three times per day.

So in an average week I'm putting in anywhere from 5 to 10 hours of meditation. Wow, that's not that much now that I add it up.

Anyway, what is your personal meditation routine?

HiI'm an engineer and work strange hours, so it's difficult to have a routine. Also I have a two year old daughter and a pregnant wife.My best times are if I get woken up at night, then I meditate for at least 30 minutes, often more. In the mornings I try and do 15 mins. I don't always get much chance at weekends. In summer I go outside for 30 mins at lunchtime too.with metta Graham

4x1hr seven days a week. Not remarkable for a retired pre-old fogey. It also helps to rise at 4am and practice celibacy. I deeply respect those who have a family and serious responsibilities for whom finding time for meditation is not easy. John

I guess I have many mindfull moments without doing any formal meditation or practice, when siting I observe the movement of the muscles and bones and tendons, in a meeting I observe frustration or excitement arising and going away, when reading the new I send Metta in all directions.

I used to sit and develop Samatha, but lately I have tried to develop my wise attention on everyday activities, trying to see things as they are